Between The Lines
by raiko.EXE
Summary: And to think it all started with Kotetsu's big mouth at her birthday party. Barnaby, Karina, and the beginnings of a placeholder romance.
1. The High Art of Subtlety

I actually managed to finish this chapter on my birthday – who would have imagined that? Anyway, Tiger & Bunny fandom, I bring you my first ever attempt at chapterfic with a highly overlooked pairing that most would probably consider crack. Typical, but Barnaby/Karina managed to grow on me despite its lack of fics out there, so I decided to try my hand at it. Enjoy!

* * *

**Between The Lines**

Karina tried her hardest not to spin on the mod barstool as she smoothed the excruciatingly short skirt of her dress. Thanks to Nathan's adamant stance on picking her outfit for the evening, she was now adorned in a strapless silver dress and bubblegum pink heels. An equally pink tiara adorned her head, but she had drawn the line at the sash that had _birthday bitch_ embroidered on it – she had to maintain some of her pride before the rest of the night taught her to forget.

"Do we really have to wait until midnight?" the fashionista himself whined to the bartender, pastel lips in a pseudo pout. His expression seemed to be deterring the young man more than anything else however. Karina couldn't blame him either, seeing as her group consisting of mostly older man friends were impatiently crowding the trendy new bar that was generally frequented by people…Well, her age. The only reason they hadn't been forcefully moved by the rest of the clientele was because half of the girls in the establishment there were content to line up for Barnaby's autograph on a napkin, regardless of the fact that he was quickly nearing thirty.

"I'm sorry uh, _sir_, but it's policy," the bartender replied, continuing to clean the same mixer he'd been at for the past ten minutes. He gave her the best look of encouragement he could under the circumstances. "Once the clock strikes midnight, she can have as many as she wants."

"You're lucky you're cute," Nathan scowled as his painted nails drummed the empty counter. He had insisted that everyone wait to drink until she'd had her first taste, but clearly his resolve and patience were both wearing thin. He wanted to get the show on the road.

"I already told you, you don't have to wait for me," Karina interjected for the fifth time. They'd been here for about half an hour now, and the others seemed to be in the same state as Nathan. Passing the time consisted of making small conversation and anxiously glancing at their call bracelets and phones for the hour. Well, for everyone except Pao Lin and Ivan anyway, who seemed to be too lost in each other's eyes to care. How she envied them.

"Come on now, there's only a few minutes left," Kotetsu said from the barstool to her left, throwing an arm around her shoulder. The old butterflies in her stomach began to flutter again as she fought to not lean into his weight. "It's your day, so we're gonna wait."

"Oh no you don't!" came a sharp cry from her opposite side, effectively causing Kotetsu to remove his arm and ruin the moment. Antonio had apparently taken her statement to heart and tried to order, earning him a violent slap on the wrist from Nathan. Rock Bison's arm shriveled in response and Karina sent him an apologetic glance, though she wasn't sure if he caught it through the defeated sip of his water.

"So, Miss Karina, are you looking forward to drinking legally?" Keith asked her in his usual chipper tone. Another pass at small conversation, but she appreciated the try nonetheless.

"I'm not sure," she replied truthfully, eyeing the many colorful bottles with an overwhelming type of interest. "I've never drank before, not even with family, so I don't know what to expect."

"Not even at your other job?" Barnaby asked instead in mid-signature as his fan waited eagerly. In the past, she would have suspected some ulterior motive behind the question, but seeing as Kotetsu probably reported everything to him, she hoped it was mere curiosity this time and not underlying sarcasm that could say, cancel her radio show. Yes, the idea in its entirety had been some stupid gimmick to feed and expand her fanbase, but he had still made a fool out of her during his guest appearance by acting like he was the one in charge.

"Never," Kotetsu interrupted her just as she opened her mouth to speak. "Our Karina's a good girl. Whenever I go and she's on her break, she's always sipping on some soda," he said very matter-of-factly before ruffling her hair in that infuriating platonic way of his that she couldn't hate completely. The blasted butterflies stirred anew as her hands moved to fix the damage to her hair. It was a reflex by now.

"Endorsing your product on both jobs," Barnaby quipped, and ah, there it was again, he feeling of wanting to gut him alive. But seeing the subtle upward curve of the corners of his mouth, Karina realized that he'd been merely joking. She reminded herself that if he held any true ill sentiment towards her, he probably wouldn't be here.

_It's been five years and I still haven't gotten used to that sense of humor,_ she thought to herself, letting her shoulders slouch a little more comfortably on her stool. "I guess you could say that," she replied with a grin of her own before he went back to cranking out signed napkins like a printing press. _And speaking of which –_

"I kind of have an announcement about that actually," she stated loudly enough for all of them to hear, acquiring their attention with her sudden volume. She tucked her hair behind her ear, giving them each a nervous glance before proceeding. "I'm quitting my side job."

"What? But why?" asked Pao Lin with wide eyes. She was one of the first to know about her job as a bar songstress and had given so much more support than Karina's own parents ever did despite being a busy hero herself.

"Well it's just been really hard trying to juggle two jobs and attending college, you know?" the blonde said before taking a sip of her own water, though she was sure they knew her well enough by now to see through her feint lead-in.

"That and well, I guess one of our customers works for a major record label." she said, spinning a lock of hair around her finger as a slow smile began to creep its way onto her face. "He brought in his boss a few times throughout the past year and now and they want to…sign me."

The entire bar was quiet for a moment until Nathan's shriek of pure joy cut through the silence. "Oh honey!" he squealed, throwing his arms around her in a tight embrace, her tiara beginning to slip from the sudden impact. Realizing this, her flame type style mentor released his hold to fix her hair, smoothing it out in a motherly manner. "I'm so proud of you, you know that?" he said, putting the plastic jewels back into place.

"Yeah, that's great news!" Kotetsu cheered from her left, giving her an animated thumbs-up. "You're going to be living your dream now."

"Congratulations, and again, congratulations!" came Keith's trademark voice, soon followed by the chorus consisting of the rest which made her beam a little brighter.

"It's not going to be easy though," Karina remarked through the congratulatory sea as she traced the outline of her coaster. It was true though, and she doubted the rest of the group actually knew what the music industry was like, considering that they didn't have a hero record deal packaged with their contracts. "I still need to go through the process of being a trainee all over again since they don't know, and who knows when I'll actually make my debut –"

"That's not going to stop you, Karina," Pao Lin said knowingly. "We already know how badly you want to be a singer and we're going to support you all the way!"

"Yeah, don't sweat the small stuff," came Ivan with a nod and the rest of her Hero TV cast looked like they wholeheartedly agreed. "This has been your goal for so long now, I doubt any of that will faze you."

"As a pop idol, I cannot think of anything that needs improvement," Barnaby added, and she could only imagine that he was thinking of their short-lived days as BTB. She supposed he had gone through an abridged form of training during their practices, so he knew kind of knew what he was talking about.

"I'm sure that you will be successful in your endeavors," he finished to her surprise, and the uncharacteristic sentiment in his words was enough to earn him more a few brownie points in her book.

"Uh, I hate to interrupt but," Antonio's sandpaper voice cut in just as she was about to thank them all, lifting up his cell phone for her to see. She gasped in disbelief – a mere thirty seconds to midnight and they hadn't even realized it. All previous conversation was replaced by anticipation as they glued their eyes on Antonio's phone, honing in on the ticks like they would a deranged criminal.

Karina held her breath as the red hand on the clock made its steady ascent, and as soon as it finished its revolution, the speakers erupted with a shrill ring resembling party horns. The older man looked at her bashfully as if he was sorry for the pathetic attempt, but the simple gesture had her smiling from ear to ear.

"Happy birthday, Karina!" came the gang's collective voices before she was enveloped in loving body heat from all around. The tiara Nathan had only previously fixed was once again askew as Pao Lin all but tackled her in order to embrace her before the boys did, and once they did come, she felt like she was being suffocated in a mass of arms, lanky and burly alike.

From her squashed position against the bar, she recognized Kotetsu, Antonio, and Keith overwhelming her with their height as Nathan yelled "What are you doing? Get this woman a Cosmo on the double!" to the stunned bartender and couldn't help but laugh. She really loved her Hero TV members. Despite Kotetsu and Barnaby's choice join the Second League a few years back, all of them had still remained close enough to deem family. The fact that all of them had made time to attend was proof in itself.

"Thanks you, everyone," she said tenderly as she fought her way to get her own arms around whoever was to her left and right. But as soon as she had accomplished this feat, a pretty glass filled with something pink garnished with a pretty lemon wedge was sent her way by the bartender.

"One Cosmopolitan," he confirmed, setting the drink in front of her with a grin of his own. "Happy birthday, miss."

The blonde took the cocktail glass by the neck, examining it for a moment as her friends watched intently. She then brought it to her mouth to take a tentative sip, feeling the slight burn make its way down her throat. It wasn't nearly as bad as she'd imagined with the amount of fruitiness, but it definitely wasn't her cup of Pepsi Nex.

"How do you like it, darling?" Nathan cooed, letting one of his fingernails drag across the glass.

"Not bad," she admitted, pursing her lips in thought before unexpectedly downing the rest in the blink of an eye. She bit into the lemon wedge afterwards, tasting the pleasant sugared coating before the acidity hit and cut through the taste of the alcohol. She smiled, teeth completely overshadowed by the bright yellow peel as a joke.

"Now _that_," Kotetsu applauded before whipping out his own phone to snap a picture with a chuckle. "Is how it's done!"

Nathan squealed in excitement, looking as if his own daughter had grown up right in front of him before turning back to the bartender, "Lemon drops for everyone besides the other young lady over there – sorry, Pao Lin – now!" he demanded.

The bartender gave a quick nod of confirmation before getting to work, delivering each shot in front of its recipient with style and flair, remembering everything down to the sugared rim. Nathan looked mildly impressed before lifting his shot glass and making sure everyone did the same. "This one's for you, sweetie. I hope you have fun tonight," he said with a wink in Karina's direction. "Cheers!"

He threw it back with ease and Karina attempted to follow, eyes crimping shut at the sweet but pungent taste, but forcing it down all the same. She opened her eyes and stuck out her tongue, desperately salvaging the crystals on the rim as the older members of the group laughed. Apparently, she was the only one who'd had any trouble with it.

"Rest assured, there is plenty more where that came from," Nathan told her with a wicked grin. "No holding back tonight, everyone, the tab is on me!" he declared, resulting in an eruption of glee from Kotetsu, Antonio, and the rest of the bar.

"No, not all of you! I don't even know you!"

Karina gulped, shoving her empty shot glass to the side as Nathan rattled off the names more complicated sounding drinks. She nervously stared at her stomach, hoping to God that it would hold up for the rest of the night.

* * *

_One Jager bomb, three jello shots, a buttery nipple, two kamikazes, and tequila sunrise later…_

* * *

"This is reeeally good," Karina slurred, swaying on her barstool as she polished off the rest of her drink like she'd been doing it all her life. Even the garnish was not spared as she took the cherry into her mouth with a smack of her lips before biting into the sweetness.

"I'm glad you're enjoying it, hun," Nathan grinned, daintily sipping his own poison of choice – a screwdriver. Though the rest of the gang had retreated to the other tables or booths in the background, Nathan had chosen to stay by her side. She figured it was to keep her company, but the look in his eyes suggested that he wanted otherwise.

"Why are you still here, Nathan?" she inquired, mouth drooping in a faux frown. "You should go and have your fun too."

"With them over there ready to pounce?" the older man said, pointing a long finger at a table with a few boys seemingly engrossed in their own activities. "They may not look like it, but they've been eyeing you all night."

"They have?" she asked, eyeing them in disbelief.

"Of course they have!" Nathan exclaimed, a bit surprised by her blatant lack of faith. "Look at yourself! I think every single, straight male in this establishment has set their sights on you at least once tonight."

"Really?" she mused, a wistful look crossing her features as she looked towards the table again. She could feel the heat rush to her face when one of them caught her gaze and smiled.

"Karina, you're gorgeous," Nathan remarked, taking a few strands of gold from her head and primping them to his liking. "Trust me, if they're not looking at you, they're looking at _me_."

"Oh, Nathan, what would I do without you?" she chuckled melodically as the lights around them started to grow hazy. She took a quick glimpse her wrist which Kotetsu had insisted on marking with every drink. Was that…ten now? Oh nonsense, she could handle herself just fine.

"Be the little lamb for those wolves to prey on," he replied, sending a discreet glare in the direction of her obvious admirers. "You're out of their league, dear."

"But –"

"But what?"

"I…" she began, looking around for fear that someone might overhear. She leaned in a bit for confidentiality's sake, "Am I _old_?"

"What on earth are you talking about?" Nathan blustered in shock before pointing to Antonio. He was seated solemnly by himself, a complete contrast to the rest of the crowd. "Honey, _that_ is old. You've only barely reached twenty!"

"No, no, no!" she repeated, waving her hands to emphasize his misunderstanding. "Not old like that but old for...A relationship I guess?"

"I'm not following," he said, putting his screwdriver down onto his coaster for a moment so he could listen properly.

"Well it's just that," the blonde stopped, biting her lip in apprehension before speaking in a hushed voice. "I haven't had a boyfriend yet, you know? Or even gone on a date, and I'm twenty years old! Is that _normal_?"

She started to quiver, letting out a choked sob as her inhibitions melted away, "I know being a hero and trying to be a singer takes up a lot of my time, but –"

"Oh, Karina," Nathan sighed with understanding as he accepted her into his open arms. "There's nothing wrong with being single at your age. It just means you haven't found the right person yet."

"That's what everyone says," she muttered into the shoulder of his leopard print button-up, but not even Nathan's comfort could stop her sudden flood of misery as she tore away from him.

"I'm a twenty year old virgin!" she wailed louder than her sober self would have intended, dramatically throwing her hands up before melting into the counter of the bar.

"That's what's got you down, birthday girl?" a familiar voice asked from behind, causing her to spin around fast enough to leave her with whiplash. To her horror, a very red Kotetsu accompanied by a stoic-as-ever Barnaby appeared in her line of vision thereby creating her worst nightmare. She was honestly surprised her jaw hadn't unhinged itself and clattered to the floor yet with the way it was hanging open.

_Someone kill me now,_ she said to herself, realizing that a quick exit to the bathroom wasn't possible with two six-foot-tall men in her way.

"Well if it makes you feel any better," Kotetsu began, playfully elbowing his partner in the gut. "A few more years and this guy will be pushing for thirty year old virgin!" He laughed as if it were no big deal, Karina and Nathan taking in this new information quietly. They continued to stare for a moment, stunned at Kotetsu's sheer audacity and Barnaby's now hostile demeanor which suggested that the facts were indeed true. However Kotetsu, dense as ever, proceeded to take no notice, signaling the bartender with a wave instead.

"It's time to slow it down a bit. One Corona, please!"

"You'd better watch yourself, old man," Barnaby warned, now a bit red himself. Kotetsu grabbed the bottle with a grin before proceeding to stumble backwards, catching himself on Barnaby's sleeve before tripping on his own two feet.

"Whoops!" he laughed, straightening himself as Barnaby rolled his eyes. It looked like was once again going to be playing guardian to a man who refused to act his age.

"Please disregard him," Barnaby said, adjusting his trademark jacket while glancing at Karina and Nathan for the final word. "He has no idea what he's talking about."

"Oh my…" Nathan let out with his fingers pressed to his lips as the duo made their way towards where Antonio was, no doubt to keep him company. "I would have never thought Handsome to be in the same boat after all these years."

"Oh no, he heard me," Karina lamented, eyes wide and ignoring Barnaby's similar state of celibacy. She rose from her seat in a flustered frenzy, bringing her hands to her face in mortification, "What am I going to _do_?!"

"_Relax_," Nathan scolded her, putting his hands on her shoulders easing her back down onto her barstool. "Kotetsu will only remember that if he isn't knocked flat off his ass before the end of the night, which I'm sure he will be. And furthermore – oh, is that guy checking me out?" he suddenly asked, gesturing to the tall redhead who'd just made an appearance at the bar. Karina squinted at him with as much subtlety as she could muster, but she needn't have worried, quickly discerning that the man wasn't looking at her.

"I think he is," she whispered with glee, all previous worries of her virginity subsiding for a moment. She gave Nathan a suggestive shove, urging him to make his way over there and spit his game. "Well, what are you waiting for?"

"Are you sure?" Nathan asked uneasily, looking from her to the redhead in indecision. He didn't want to abandon one of his closest friends on her birthday, after all.

"Don't worry about me, I'm a big girl now." Karina stated breezily as her stool began to sway again. She raised her hand high in order to catch the bartender's attention just as Nathan stood to ready himself. "I can handle it."

"If you say so, honey," he replied, concern still eminent on his face but eager to snag his prize. "If you need to burn anyone to a crisp, you know who to call."

"I know," she smiled, waving him off as the bartender glanced at her, unfamiliar voices in the distance growing louder as Nathan got further away. No doubt the group from earlier. She straightened her back, sitting pretty on her barstool pretending to pay them no mind.

"One sex on the beach, please!" she demanded with a frenzied grin, no doubt to make up for her persisting chastity. Nathan, still close enough to hear, could only laugh with pride at her choice as he sauntered towards his the redhead, licking his lips as he did so. She was certainly learning.

* * *

"I don't like the way they're looking at her," Kotetsu mentioned, blatantly staring at the small group of men who had joined Karina at the bar with resentment. Two of them currently had their arms around her, one on her shoulder while the other claimed her waist. And from the looks of it, she was actually flattered by their showy affection for some reason.

"They're no good, all of 'em," he continued, sending them a deadly glare which couldn't have possibly been visible from their position across the room.

"Well she _is_ an adult now," Antonio pointed out, watching the scene unfold with the rest of the older members of Hero TV. But even as he said that, a frown was making its way onto his face. It was difficult seeing Karina make the passage into womanhood after meeting her at the young age of fourteen. "Kaede's going to go through the same thing one day, you know," he mentioned offhandedly as a sort of warning to his long-time friend.

"Over my dead body!" Kotetsu hollered, slamming his bottle of Corona onto the table with a loud thud. Thankfully, his grip had been hindered enough to prevent it from shattering, but Barnaby winced at the sound all the same. He had remained completely sober in the probable case that Kotetsu were to do something like completely fall over.

"It is rather strange to watch," Keith agreed, crossing his arms as he surveyed the group with equal surmises. "But I do not think that Miss Karina would appreciate us interfering in her business."

"What do you mean? It's our job!" Kotetsu stated with drive before guzzling down the rest of his beer, adding the empty bottle to the small pile he had growing. Barnaby could count five excluding the harder drinks he'd had earlier, and the mention of his daughter had probably riled him up a bit. Not good.

"Our job?" Keith repeated with a questioning look.

"Yeah," Kotetsu nodded firmly as if it were law. "Our job as heroes!"

"As far as I know, our job as heroes does not entail saving women in bars unless they are somehow being threatened or assaulted in the premises. A lady like Karina being chatted up does not fall under those categories," Barnaby pronounced. Regardless of the environment, harmless domestic happenings weren't their problem, even if they were in the Second League. And if they did need to handle, then they at least needed a call about it first.

"But look at them, Bunny! You know what they're going to do once she can't tell what's right and wrong anymore?" Kotetsu asked, pointing accusingly at Karina's new mantourage. "They're going to take her somewhere sketchy and do all sorts of horrible things to her and you know what? It'll be too late to call for help!"

Barnaby shook his head in dismay as Kotetsu started making lewd hand gestures to illustrate his point. The old man's imagination tended to get out of hand when under the influence. But on the off chance that the group of young men did intend to take Karina with them at the end of the night, the rest of them would undoubtedly notice and come to her aid as friends. However, Kotetsu's fiery determination had the potential to become a problem before such a situation could even unfold.

"And what do you want to do about it?" he said, choosing to humor him in the meantime before he decided to bound out of his seat and fall flat on his face.

"Go rescue her obviously," Kotetsu drawled, giving his partner a scrutinizing look. Barnaby raised a brow as Kotetsu wrinkled his nose in acknowledgement as if he were confirming something to himself.

"But I think you'd be better suited for that job, Bunny," he confirmed, nodding to himself like a madman.

"Me?" Barnaby asked in confusion. "Why?"

"Because you're the youngest of all of us," Antonio said with an accepting swig of his boilermaker. Far past forty, he was far past his prime unlike the fresher faces of the group, most notably Barnaby and Ivan. "If any of us went, we'd look like her father."

"What he said," Kotetsu concurred, lazily tracing the rim of his latest bottle only to catch it before it threatened to tip. "That and you're like, more sexually intimidating and stuff."

"Excuse me?" he blinked, letting the statement sink in for a moment.

"Don't look at me like that! You know I'm right." Kotetsu demanded without any further explanation.

"He has a point, Mr. Barnaby," Keith seconded in agreement. "With your celebrity status, you would easily be able to whisk away Miss Karina from those scoundrels through sheer intimidation. That is not an easy feat."

"Yeah, exactly!" Kotetsu called enthusiastically despite the fact that he was unable to validate his own reasoning. Typical.

"Is that what you would have me do?" Barnaby asked with a dreary look in his eyes. He wasn't much for social gatherings like these in the first place, having been invited to many during this first few years as a hero. Getting directly involved with those distasteful youths would probably be bothersome as well. Not that he wasn't concerned about Karina's well-being, but if given the choice, he would have avoided the ceremonial bar run altogether. The present scenario was far too common in the present day. With the amount of drinks they'd treated her too and the lack of attire Nathan had presented her in, it should have been foreseen from the get-go.

"Yes," Kotetsu replied simply, causing Barnaby to deadpan. Leave it to drunk hero with traditional values about young women. His partner scratched his beard while sprawling out his limbs, disregarding Barnaby's own uncomfortable stance at the situation.

"That and I think we should head out soon anyway." Kotetsu continued, letting out a rather unattractive belch while he was at it. "Ivan and Pao Lin left ages ago, Nathan's on some guy's lap, and let's face it – we're way too old for this place."

The latter was the only part he could agree with. Karina herself looked like she was ready to fall asleep with the way her head was resting on one of her companion's shoulders. Rethinking his opposition, he realized that it would be best for him to get to her before the young group realized their advantage of the situation. He just hoped they'd let him take her without a fuss.

"If you insist," Barnaby sighed, standing and making sure to tuck his chair in before he proceeded in steady strides towards the bar. Even if it needed to be done, Kotetsu definitely owed him for this.

"And get me another one of these while you're at it, would ya, Bunny?"

* * *

Karina let out a languid croon, bending her head away from its perch as her new friend Steven whispered something about buying another drink into her ear. She was at a bar on her twentieth birthday with a group of handsome young men she'd only met a few hours ago. Her mother would be ashamed, but her judgment taught her to forget such trivial matters for the time being.

"Oh, I don't know if that's such a good idea," she stated unsteadily, still gripping her half-full glass of midori sour in one hand. She took another sip from her straw, feeling Richard move his hand to draw slow circles on her thigh. Another quick glance at her wrist and she realized she hadn't marked it sine Nathan left. "I think I've had about five too many and it's getting late…"

"What are you talking about, babe? We've got all the time in the world," came Lino's sultry voice, tracing his finger along the exposed curve of her shoulder. She involuntarily shivered and suppressed a giggle.

At the same time, the sound of someone subtly clearing their throat made itself known, catching her interest. She turned her head in search of the source, squinting tn the midst of the bright lights and the spinning room. Her gaze eventually landed on blonde curls and a face she would deem pretty had it not been on a figure that tall with spectacles bridging his nose.

"Karina," a familiar voice greeted as he approached her, choosing to ignore the questioning looks from her choice of companions and proceeding without a care.

"Barnaby," she mirrored dreamily with a smile. She twisted her barstool to face him properly, freeing herself from her human restraints at the same time. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to get you, of course," Barnaby said gently, extending his hand to her amidst the sea of shocked faces, male and female alike. He could hear the crowd beginning to murmur, steadily working to his advantage. "It's about time to go, don't you think?"

"Oh my God, she's with Barnaby Brooks Jr.?"

"What the hell? That is sooo unfair!"

"Lucky bitch!"

_Sexually intimidating, huh?_ He thought to himself as he remembered Kotetsu's words. Maybe the old man did have a point.

Karina's entourage, as expected, looked far from pleased at his sudden appearance. They made a quick move to restrain her once more, but found themselves too late as she bobbed her head in an enthusiastic nod, abandoning her drink and entrusting her hand to his larger one. She gave a small hop off of her barstool in order to join him, effectively stunning the small audience that had formed.

On a whim of senseless dramatic flourish, Barnaby gently pulled on her arm causing her to stumble towards him in. But despite her surprised yelp, he made sure no accident was met, securely wrapping his arm around her waist and pinning him to his side. His hand hovered over the curve of her hip and Karina in turn let out a pleased gasp at the contact, wrapping her arms around his waist for more stability and fueling the flames of jealousy from the group she had just abandoned.

"Bye!" she cheered happily, giving them a flamboyant wave before allowing herself to be led away by Barnaby and his triumphant grin. His hold on her remained steady as they walked, all eyes on them as they made their journey towards Kotetsu and the others. Though Karina only vaguely noticed the attention, the still conscious part of herself was liking it, even if it was only because she was with Barnaby. She followed his lead until the came to an abrupt halt, and through her blurring vision she recognized Kotetsu, Antonio, and Keith all waiting for them.

"I've retrieved her," the taller blonde declared when they finally reached the table. Karina's significantly smaller figure was firmly latched to his side, safe and smiling brightly in greeting.

"Good work, Bunny! I knew you could do it," Kotetsu applauded, moving to stand himself. "Ready to go, birthday girl?"

Karina nodded again, face pressed flush against Barnaby's jacket. Her arms and legs were beginning to sway until Barnaby tightened his arm around her waist, determined to keep her upright.

"Are you alright?" he asked, earning a stifled sound of affirmation against his chest.

"I have to say bye to Nathan," she breathed slowly, struggling against Barnaby's grip in order to get her tired limbs to move and seek her friend.

"Nathan's a bit busy right now," Antonio pointed out, eyeing the flame type next who was straddling a complete stranger with no shame. "I'm sure you'll hear from him tomorrow."

"Okay…" she said, relaxing into Barnaby's grip again, relieved at the lack of effort she had to put in to stay standing.

"Where should I drop you off, Miss Karina?" Keith asked, honorable sense of responsibility making him an obvious volunteer for one of the night's designated drivers.

"The corner of 1st and 31st," Karina mumbled against the leather, clutching at the jacket's folds as if her life depended on it.

"Oh that's right, you moved out huh," Kotetsu mused, tapping his chin and swaying like a bowling pin in his chair. "In that case, why don't you drop her off, Barnaby? 1st and 31st is closer to your place, right? We'll hitch a ride back with Keith instead."

"I suppose so," he said, looking at the drunken girl uneasily. "But are you sure this is alright?"

"You can count on me to keep them safe," Keith declared before giving Barnaby a proud salute even though it obviously wasn't Keith he had been worried about. He would trust Sky High with his own life if it came down to it, but for him to take responsibility of Blue Rose? He would say that they were on friendly terms now, but it was still unfamiliar territory to him, especially considering her current state.

"What are you talking about? It'll be fine," Kotetsu replied, giving his partner a friendly pat on the shoulder and disregarding any possible complications. "Now let's go!"

Barnaby looked at Karina again, crumpled against his chest and half unconscious. To get her out the door would probably be a struggle in itself. The princess carry in very literal use came to mind as he eyed the piece of plastic on her head, but he supposed she wouldn't be pleased if she were to somehow remember in the morning or say, find a picture on Kotetsu's phone. So instead, he let the other three go ahead, using their bulk to clear a path and guiding her as best as he could in the same union he had used earlier. All eyes seemed to be on the two of them again as they made their way towards the exit, but after years of celebrity treatment from the public, he had learned to ignore it. He proceeded through as if it were nothing out of the ordinary, vaguely wondering if it was the same for Karina minus the costume as they left through the front.

The group reached the parking garage not much later without a hitch, Keith and Barnaby presenting their tickets to the valet attendants to retrieve their vehicles. Karina had mustered the strength to stand on her own as they waited, leaning on the parking booth with half-lidded eyes. She let out a giggle as Kotetsu and Antonio reenacted some sort of arrest they had been fighting over last week. Barnaby eyed the scene with something akin to fondness – some things never changed.

Keith's pulled up first, a mid-size silver sedan that looked like every other civilian car. As he took his keys from the attendant, Kotetsu hopped in the back, clearly ready for some sleep while the bulkier Antonio claimed passenger's seat for the leg room. Keith was the last to take his place, making sure to roll down the windows in order to give Karina an appropriate goodbye.

"Happy birthday!" the three said in unison with eccentric waving, which was of course followed by Keith's "and again, happy birthday!" before they drove away to make room for Barnaby's approaching sports car which he was too fond of to ever think of replacing.

He tipped the parking attendant generously before getting in, Karina having clambered in as soon as it pulled up. As he started the car, he couldn't help but notice the goose bumps beginning to rise on her crossed arms with mild concern.

"Are you cold?" he asked her. With the chilly night weather, the heating wouldn't fully circulate until they were at least down the street.

"I'll be fine," she said quietly, adjusting her seat to a severe reclining angle, suggesting that she planned to sleep during the entirety of the ride.

He guessed she was too tired to care at this point, but removed off his jacket to drape over her torso anyway. Not surprisingly, it proved to eclipse most of her dress. "You can use that if you'd like."

Karina gave a shy nod of thanks, dragging the garment up to her chin and letting her eyes fall shut as Barnaby drove into the night.

* * *

"Karina," a voice called through her slumber. She chose to wholeheartedly ignore it.

"Karina," it repeated again, this time accompanied with a gentle shake to her shoulder. She pouted in annoyance, turning the other way and clutching her cover close to her chest.

"Karina, wake up," Barnaby said, shaking her more roughly this time. "We've arrived."

"Wha –?" she began, wiping her eyes and unknowingly smudging the remains of her makeup. Oh well, not like she had anyone left to impress anyway.

"This is your apartment, is it not?" Barnaby asked, urging her to look out the window. She lazily lifted her head and sure enough, the familiar building greeted her through her squinted eyes, flashing left lamp post and all.

"Yes, that's the one," she confirmed, moving her arm to open the car door, only to have it fall short as fatigue overtook her again, dragging it down like a heavy weight.

"…Are you able to move?" he asked her wearily, brows furrowing behind his clear frames. The digital clock in the car read 4:23AM and he didn't want to spend more time here than necessary, especially considering his scheduled meeting with Ben that day.

"Yeah," she said, trying to effectively gather her strength again. She succeeded in opening the door this time, but caught her heel on the sewer grate as she stepped out, cursing as her ankle buckled under the lack of footing.

"Let me help you," Barnaby offered, wanting to leave before he got tired himself. He stepped around the car, opening the passenger's side door fully to make things easier. Karina rotated to face him, though she hadn't expected his hands to find a spot on either side of her waist and lift her off the ground. She remained frozen in shock as Barnaby promptly placed her on the sidewalk as if she were some kind of Barbie doll.

"T-thank you," she said, shaken at both his actions and the outside cold. Without thinking, she slipped her arms through the bigger holes of the jacket's sleeves before making her journey towards the apartment building. Unfortunately, her sense of balance seemed to have been hampered as well, making her stray far from the desired path and grabbing the nearest solid object for balance – which just so happened to be Barnaby.

Though her weight wasn't nearly enough to cause any significant impact, the frustrated sound she made implied that she was sorry, causing him to regret his rush in turn. He took her gently by the waist once more for aid.

"Let me help you up," he said in a more patient voice, taking a position like the one he had used to guide her out of the bar earlier. She wordlessly complied, doing her best to mirror his steps as they slowly made their way up the steps and finding it mildly amusing when he tried opening the main door with only one hand.

Barnaby was glad that there wasn't any staff in the lobby at this hour considering the fact that their current posture could have created more suggestive undertones. From his surroundings, he assumed that it was a university-owned facility, which would explain why she had moved away from her parents' home across town. If he remembered correctly, Sternbild's College of Performing Arts was only a few blocks away.

He pressed the button of the elevator as Karina continued to snooze against him. She felt like dead weight in his arms, and he wondered vaguely if he looked like a kidnapper dragging her somewhere instead of escorting her like he was.

All more reason for the lack of staff to be welcome, he supposed.

"Floor and room number?" he asked, giving her a quick rustle to get her attention.

"6-D," she somehow managed to say, and off they went.

Her apartment itself was easy enough to find and thankfully, it required modern forms of security than a mere key. "I'll be borrowing this, he warned her, struggling to keep her upright as he dug for her hand through the longer sleeve in order to pass the finger scanner. It lit up in confirmation of her limp hand, but that wasn't the end of it.

"Passcode?" he asked again, studying the number pad attached to the doorknob.

"2207," she uttered, and he pressed the numbers accordingly. The door unlocked with a soft click, and Barnaby managed to open it with his free hand before groping for the light switch, which was found easily enough. By the time he'd moved to close the door, Karina had slipped away from him and began to stumble in the direction of what he could only imagine was her room.

Deciding to make a detour, Barnaby headed to the kitchenette, opening the fridge and bypassing the impressive supply of health foods and picking out a bottle of water instead. He then proceeded to the bathroom where he found her headache medicine amongst a staggering array of skin care items.

Figuring this was all she really needed, he followed her previous trail to make sure he had actually made it into bed properly. He pushed the already partially open door to find her face-down into one of her pillows, tiara and heels taking a forgotten spot on the floor. Taking a quick look around, he spied a stack of post-its and a pen on her desk, scribbling some quick instructions on one before attaching it to the water bottle. Barnaby placed his loot on her bedside table as quietly as he could, but to his surprise, she actually stirred.

"You're leaving?" she asked, rolling onto her side to face him through her distressed locks.

"Yes," he confirmed before she caught him off guard again by making a movement to rise to her knees for more even leveling.

"Thank you, Barnaby," she whimpered meekly, throwing her arms around his waist in a strange form of appreciation he would have never imagined from the normal Blue Rose. He stood uncomfortably, unsure of what exactly to do. But before he could think, her languor had quite literally taken hold of her. Karina's midsection bent forward, head dragging itself against his chest until it touched her knees in some sort of crouch.

"I think you should sleep now ," he said stiffly, quite aware of how her forehead was pressed against his belt. The awkward position only grew when she proceeded to nod into his crotch before releasing her hold, falling weightlessly back onto the bed and completely unaware of the startled expression he was wearing.

"Good night then," she breathed, his jacket wrapped around her for warmth. No need to remove it if it allowed her to sleep easier, especially considering how she would be feeling in the morning.

Mostly content with her state of being, Barnaby switched off her lamp before another throaty mumble from the bed stopped him short.

"You've changed, you know?"

He stopped, his hand reeling back from its halfway position under the lampshade.

"Pardon me?" he asked, curious as to what her drunkenly honest was talking about.

"You've changed." she repeated again, rolling back onto her stomach and hugging her pillow. "You made friends with us and you're really kind…"

Barnaby remained quiet for a moment, processing her words with a newfound reverence.

"And you're going to listen to my CD one day, just you wait…"

He couldn't help but chuckle, remembering her grudge from his appearance on her short-lived radio show. Truth be told, he had been exposed to tracks from her previous CDs on the radio and television, though he had yet to actually take the time to listen to one in its entirety.

But maybe he would once her solo career as Karina Lyle took off.

"Good night," he said quietly before finally taking his leave. He heard nothing but a faint hum in response.

* * *

Well there's the beginning of my first take at chapterfic. I'll try my best to update regularly, because I hate leaving things unfinished. Also note that there will be adult content in later chapters, so I will be changing the rating to M then. I would love to hear any thoughts and criticisms from you all in the meantime, so spare a review? Reviews make for a happy author and a happy author writes faster.


	2. An Invasion of Personal Space

It was hot and stuffy and she felt like she had swallowed a few sheets of sandpaper in her sleep.

Karina opened her eyes with a start, greeted by the familiar scenery of her bedroom. She let out a hoarse groan, breaking free of the offending garment on her shoulders and wincing at the natural light streaming through her window. There seemed to be some sort of constraint around her midsection as well, she noticed with annoyance. She looked down to find her dress from last night bunched up and riding high on her hips. It wasn't long before she wriggled out of that as well, fumbling clumsily for the zipper and letting the strip of silver pool onto the floor.

The alarm clock on her bedside table read 9:36, much earlier than she would have wanted to wake up on a Saturday morning with her first hangover. She cursed the world, half wishing she hadn't woken up at all with the raging full body pain tugging at her tired muscles. That along with her inability to breathe without feeling like shards of glass were stabbing her throat had made for a rude awakening indeed.

The blonde settled into a sitting position, limbs hanging lifelessly at her sides as a strained breath left her lips. It was then that the water bottle caught her eye, sitting pretty while reflecting the digital numbers of the clock. With her throat in desperate need for hydration, she wasted no time in grabbing it, reading over the attached note as she unscrewed the cap.

_Stay hydrated and get plenty of rest._

She blinked at the neat scrawl, reading it again for good measure and once more just to make sure she'd gotten everything the one measly sentence could mean.

Well that was straightforward.

Karina's eyes went from the note to the lonely red jacket she had shrugged out of before fitting the pieces together. So that had been it. She vaguely remembered something about Barnaby escorting her home, but her mind was far too fuzzy to recall much else. She brought a hand to her temple, hoping she hadn't caused her ride much trouble. After all, he'd been nice enough to make sure she'd slept _in_ her bed and ready some water for her in the morning.

With that thought in mind, she proceeded to heed the blunt set of instructions, downing a good quarter of the bottle before a sudden tremor stirred in her abdomen. She put her hand to her mouth to prevent herself from spilling, quickly setting the water bottle aside and making a break for the bathroom. The blonde threw herself onto her knees in front of the toilet, nails biting into the seat just as her stomach began to empty itself. Her eyes began to tear in reflex, throat forcing remnants of whatever she'd had last night up and out at a violent pace. The substance was streaking the sides of the bowl an unsightly orange that only made her more nauseous.

This continued until she was trembling in the aftershock, using her remaining strength to tear a few sheets of toilet paper to wipe her mouth. By the time she flushed, the smell had already overtaken the bathroom and she struggled to pick herself up in order to switch on the vent. She stood on wobbling knees before successfully hitting the switch, tucking her disheveled hair behind her ears and looking at her reflection.

She was a hot mess, clad in nothing but her underwear and an ill shade of pale with her palms pressed against the counter just to keep her upright. Her bloodshot eyes were watery and smudging the makeup she had left and whatever hadn't escaped there was streaming through her nose. She sniffled, bringing a hand to massage the ridges of her aching windpipe only to have the horrid feeling in her gut return.

_I am never doing that again,_ she thought miserably as she made another desperate dive for the toilet bowl.

* * *

"Thanks for making it on time," Ben greeted the hero duo and gestured to the chairs facing his desk. His current office at Apollon Media resembled Mr. Lloyds', large and pristine and about twice as large as his shabby office at Top MaG.

"No promlem," Kotetsu asked, removing his hat respectfully and seating himself onto the leather upholstery with a plop. A jacket-less Barnaby did the same to his right, noting amusedly that his partner's loose, outstretched stance was very much akin to that of a large cat. "So what'd you need us for, Ben?"

"Well to be honest, this concerns you more than it does Barnaby, though I figured he would need to hear it as well," Ben began with a more serious tone weaved into his words.

"Well shoot then," was Kotetsu's chipper as ever reply in an attempt to keep the mood bright.

"Kotetsu," Ben sighed, wondering how he managed to act like that despite the ominous note. The man folded his hands together, brows knitted above his pensive gaze before getting straight to the point. "How much time does your Hundred Power last now?"

Barnaby physically stiffened and sensed Kotetsu doing the same to his left. The older man's declining powers had remained a sensitive subject throughout the years. Though he still boasted the name Wild Tiger 1 Minute, the time limit for his abilities had continued to drop over time with no signs of stabilizing. They all knew that the complete disappearance of his powers was inevitable at this point, but Kotetsu's sheer resolve to remain a hero had mostly defeated their previous attempts of highlighting the risks involved.

Kotetsu's eyes flicked nervously from Ben to Barnaby, who were waiting expectantly for his answer. He ran a calloused hard through his hair – a nervous tick – mouth twisting as he struggled to speak.

"Half a minute more or less," he said in the most convincing tone he could muster. Neither of them bought it.

"Don't lie to me, Kotetsu," Ben warned with a scolding stare. "The broadcasts have timers, I've seen them."

"23.18 seconds," the veteran hero admitted with startling accuracy. The dejection in his voice was hard to miss when had been keeping these records so regularly for himself, and the little logbook located in his pocket of his vest suddenly felt like a heavy weight.

"Kotetsu!" Barnaby shot out in alarm. Though he had been trying to keep an eye out for Kotetsu's time limit as well, had no idea the number had plummeted so low in less than two years.

"That's walking the line, old friend," Ben said with a dark sense of foreboding. He took the projector remote from his desk to display some sort of graph onto the side wall. The plotted data resembled exponential decay with the axes labeled time limit and years elapsed, but they didn't need to thoroughly analyze it all to know what it meant.

"Saito put this together for me the," he told them, using his pen as a makeshift pointer and leaving his seat. He indicated the horizontal blue line parallel the x-axis that cut through the curve in a single spot.

"This is the lowest number he's deemed stable, about 20 seconds give or take," he explained with a frown. "Which isn't far from what you're working with now."

"So what's what supposed to mean?" Kotetsu asked, fidgeting with his ring even though he already knew the answer in his head.

"It means," Ben said sternly, looking Kotetsu dead in the eye. "That maybe you should start thinking about retirement. At the end of the season, to be more specific."

"No way!" the veteran hero said outright, the familiar struggle sounding like some sort of broken record. "I told you before, Ben, I'm doing this to the very end."

Barnaby remained silent on his end, concern ebbing through his conscience as the other two began to argue. Kotetsu was ridiculously stubborn old man when it came to talks like these, thinking he could still do it all even if the odds were dangerously against him. Though their responsibility of handling minor crimes with the Second League weren't as strenuous as say, saving the city from a manipulative CEO affiliated with a criminal organization, he was only human without his Hundred Power activated. The little time of his Hundred Power left was putting his safety in great jeopardy. Even if he had the surprising tenacity of a cockroach, Barnaby would never be able to forgive himself if something were to happen to Kotetsu on the job. The scare with Maverick had been devastating enough.

"Shouldn't I be working to save people with the power I still have?" Kotetsu said, eyes holding so much unfulfilled purpose despite the ten plus years since his debut. "Even if I only have a second of it left, I want to put it to good use."

"Besides, I made a promise," he added, glancing at his ring forlornly as something constricted in his rib cage, resonating with the little book pressed against it. _A promise to a grave._

"I'm telling you this as your friend, not as your manager," Ben stated with nothing but Kotetsu's best interests in mind. "Any less than 20 seconds and you're more likely to become a liability rather than a hero. You're only human without your power, and you could get seriously hurt or worse."

"You think I don't know that?" Tiger shot back louder than intended, craning his neck to look at the floor as he fingered his hat. He looked at Ben apologetically, "It's just that being a hero is all I know. I just want to help them, Ben."

"I know," Ben said with an understanding. It's not like he could blame Kotetsu for his objections. The man was virtuous, determined to do good. He switched the projector off for now and took his seat once more, hands folded neatly on the desk. "I'll always be a fan of Wild Tiger, but Kaede needs her dad and I don't know what I'd do without you."

This was enough to render him silent for a bit, undoubtedly weighing his options in his head, and Barnaby took this as an opportune time to speak.

"If Kotetsu is going into retirement, then so am I," he said adamantly. There was no point for him to continue being a hero if Kotetsu weren't by his side, which is why their one year hiatus had happened in the first place. That and he couldn't imagine _not_ working with the old man; it would be too lonely to continue on his own.

"Don't jump to conclusions, Bunny," Kotetsu pointed out with as much conviction as he could muster. "No one said I was retiring just yet."

Barnaby remained unconvinced as Ben eyed them wearily. Despite their agreeable teamwork, the balance was fragile, relying on each other's presence more than anything else. Apollon had pleaded Barnaby to re-join the First League multiple times even during their hiatus, but he'd flat out refused without Kotetsu there. Even if he were to do good for the city, remaining in the hero business would just be continuing Albert Maverick's warped plan for his future, which he had sworn to break away from. Kotetsu was literally the only thing keeping him here. The man had helped him change, and he was indebted to that.

"I expected you'd say that," Ben replied, eyeing the blonde with empathy. "You're free to do as you choose, but I was hoping you'd reconsider. Just because Kotetsu's powers are declining doesn't mean you should put your own to waste. Sternbild is always in need of heroes, and not just for our ratings."

"We'll think about it," Kotetsu cut him off before Barnaby could add his own input on the matter. He turned to Ben again hoping to wrap the unsettling matter up quickly, "Was there anything else you needed us for?"

"Well if it's okay with you, Saito's willing to do some physical analysis to pinpoint roughly when your powers will decline to dire levels," Ben mentioned. "He'll need a few days, but he says you can come in at the end of the week for the testing."

"Man, and here I thought I was going to finally get a raise or something," Kotetsu joked, but the underlying discomfort was still obvious. He repositioned the hat on his head, "I'll schedule it with him later. If that's all, we'll be going then, boss."

"Think about it, Kotetsu," Ben emphasized as his final word, gesturing a goodbye to both of them as they made their exit.

"Yeah, yeah. Let's go, Bunny!" he declared, trying to sound as genuine as he could. They entered the elevator and descending the floors in a smog of thick silence.

"I meant what I said you know," Barnaby stated, looking to his musing partner. He would gladly halve his own time and give it to Kotetsu if there were a way.

"Yeah," he merely replied, eyes trailing the river beyond the city's borders. They watched the buildings of the Gold Stage grow larger and larger as the elevator made its steady drop.

"I think Ben is right though," Kotetsu finally said, giving the blonde a weak grin. "It'd be a shame to quit just because of me."

"But Kotetsu –"

"Tell me, Bunny, why did you become a hero?" Kotetsu asked, cutting him short with his uncharacteristic seriousness.

"Because of Mr. Maverick's plan," he answered automatically because that was the true reality of it. If he'd been given the chance to live a normal life with his family, NEXT or not, he probably would have never dreamed of becoming a hero.

"You don't think there's any value in being a hero?" Kotetsu proceeded, scrutinizing the blonde in the same manner he'd done last night. Drunk or sober, Barnaby knew by now that there was always meaning in that stare.

"Not without you," Barnaby admitted, causing the older man to shake his head at his simple answer. He didn't look particularly displeased, but Barnaby guessed that he'd said something wrong.

"Not even the lives of the citizens?" he asked slyly, confirming his suspicions.

He turned red, embarrassed at his hasty judgment, "That's not what I –"

"Listen, Bunny, there really is no point in wasting your powers just because you can't work with an old geezer like me," Kotetsu began with a sense acceptance, translated into a flare of warning to his unsettled partner. "You should use your powers for good, while you still have them."

"But I don't _want_ to do this without you," Barnaby confessed, emotion shining through the frames of his glasses. His fingers made a fist around the railing as he tried to retain his composure, "Or rather, I can't. I don't know how."

"Bunny, you have the power to make a difference," Kotetsu said in that comforting tone of his capable of quelling even the most vehement of his storms. He put a reassuring hand on the blonde's shoulder in understanding. "This might sound selfish, but if I can't save the people of Sternbild, then I would want you to do it for me."

_You're incapable of being selfish,_ Barnaby wanted to say, because Kotetsu was the type to put the needs of others before him – the needs of the people before him – whether or not he was recognized for it. He'd lost his wife and endured a tumultuous relationship of his daughter and remaining because of it, and was now suffered from internal struggle because he would all of a sudden be forced to do nothing at all.

"I understand," he said despite his still standing objections. If Kotetsu's only wish was for him to continue his legacy, he would try his best to honor it.

"Good. But remember, I'm not completely out of the picture, so don't look so down!" the old man grinned, falling into a more casual stance to lean on the glass. The elevator let out a ding, signaling that they'd made it to the parking garage.

"Oh hey," Kotetsu said while Barnaby readied his car keys. "Do you mind if we stop by headquarters for a little bit?"

"Why?" Barnaby questioned as they approached the car in Baraby's special parking spot, the closest to the elevators.

"I have to drop something off real quick," he replied vaguely, gesturing to the bag he'd left in the passenger's seat. It was plain white and opaque, making it impossible to guess what was inside.

Kotetsu gave his partner a wink, "It'll only take a minute, I promise."

* * *

Karina strode as briskly as she could towards the center of the city. It had taken her a whole half hour to finish gagging (what had she been trying to throw up, her pancreas?) before finally crawling into the shower to wash off last night's filth. She'd then searched up hangover remedies on the internet before coming across the solution of exercise, and off she went towards Justice Tower with the intention of working the hangover out of her body. Her stomach had some odd yearning for greasy sustenance on her way however, and she was currently munching on the cheeseburger she'd ordered against her better judgment. Even if she didn't usually stomach mass produced chain brand fast food, it was the best tasting thing in the world right now and she had no regrets.

She made sure to devour her sorry excuse for a late breakfast before escalating the front steps, not wanting to leave any evidence behind to avoid Nathan's scolding about how bad it was for her hips. The usual group of staff greeted her good afternoon as she made a beeline for the elevator, already clad in her workout attire as she pressed the button in vigor. Her casual clothes were in her duffel bag for a change along with five bottles of water to heed Barnaby's written advice.

_Beauty can wait_, she thought, riding the floors to the upper levels.

"Well look who it is," came Antonio's burly voice from the gym as soon as her visibly exhausted figure strutted in through the double doors. He let out a warm laugh, having seen the hangover from a mile away. She shot him a glare despite his joking intentions, fighting the sudden urge to throttle him – Significant difference in body mass and his stupidly useful NEXT power be damned.

"How do you feel, princess?" Nathan called from his position in mid-lunge, smiling at the under eye circles she hadn't bothered to conceal this morning.

"Like dying," she lamented, setting her bag on the closest bench before joining Nathan in his stretches. She had to hold her breath to prevent her cheeseburger from making a comeback as she bent to touch her toes.

"My little girl's all grown up," he cooed as she struggled to keep from fainting altogether. Stretches had never been so difficult to accomplish.

"Can I pass on the drinking thing for my twentieth birthday?" Pao Lin asked meekly, approaching them with her towel around her neck and a bottle of what looked to be some kind of Chinese bottled tea.

"Absolutely not!" Nathan insisted, causing Pao Lin to jump a bit at his demanding finesse. "It's a rite of passage, honey."

"Aw man…" she frowned, sipping at her drink and fearing three years ahead.

"How was your night, Nathan?" Karina inquired in order to stay mentally conscious and remembering the redhead at the bar. She flipped onto her back and extending a leg to the ceiling in order to stretch her hamstring, "You were too busy for me to say goodbye."

"Sorry about that," he smiled, eyes livid with memory as he sank into the splits. "Let's just say it was _amazing_. Best lay I've had in –"

"Don't need to know that," Karina cut him off abruptly, speaking for Pao Lin's disturbed grimace.

"Oh, how do you ever expect to get some if you're still so immature about these things," Nathan huffed, pointing an accusing finger in her direction. "And it was only a time thing – he's unemployed."

Karina ignored him, sitting up to rotate her neck in slow circles. At this point, she didn't even care if she was a virgin anymore, not since practically declaring it to the _entire world_ aka Tiger and Barnaby. Mostly Tiger though, because even if she told himself she was over him, there was just something about that goofy grin of his that made her heart beat in a frenzy.

"As long as you enjoyed yourself," the blonde replied, hoping to clear her mind of any images of cat-like beards.

"Believe me, I did," Nathan said dreamily, clasping his manicured hands together for emphasis. Karina shook her head, hoping this wouldn't escalate into a full tangent concerning Nathan's sexcapades. This in itself had become an increasingly hot topic on his end ever since she and Pao Lin were deemed old enough to talk about it, despite the fact that they would probably always be uncomfortable discussing it.

"But speaking of which," he began, eyeing Pao Lin with a wicked smile. He spoke in a hushed whisper, "Have you and Ivan done it yet?"

The girl in question began to choke on her drink, sputtering like a fish out of water. "What?!" she exclaimed hoarsely, hand on her throat to coax the tea out.

"Nathan!" Karina cried in warning, moving to Pao Lin's side and rubbing her back in assistance and kind of wishing Nathan had focused on his own sex life instead. Imagining Pao Lin having anything to do with that was…No. Just no.

"W-What kind of question is that?" the youngest member of their feminine triad managed between coughs.

"A simple one," Nathan shrugged as if he'd said nothing out of the ordinary. "It's either yes or no, honey."

"B-but that kind of stuff is _private_, and it's not like –" Pao Lin began to rant with a furious blush. But despite her efforts, her string of nervous stutters received a knowing look from the instigator himself.

"So you have!" Nathan declared accusingly, curiosity now infinitely piqued with interest. "Since when?"

"What?" Karina gasped, eyes wide and mouth gaping. No way, it couldn't be true. After all, this was Pao Lin – _their_ Pao Lin – the girl who had disregarded anything effeminate until recently, the girl who had only filled out enough to show some skin and change her hero name to Dragon Maiden _last year_. She was only seventeen! Could her and Ivan actually have…

"I never said that!" she whined in defense, voice escalating to an uncharacteristically girly pitch high that threatened to break the TV. Even Antonio jumped at the shrill noise, shooting the maniacal group his _what-the-hell-is-going-on_ look from the sofa.

"It's written all over your face, sweetie," Nathan nodded, pointing an accusing finger at her slipping composure.

"It is?" Pao Lin asked, falling directly into this trap. Karina felt herself die a little inside.

"You naughty girl!" Nathan squealed in delight, grasping the younger girl's hands like it was something to celebrate about. "You have to tell me everything. How many times?"

"Nathaaaan!" she wailed in embarrassment, proceeding to turn as red as a tomato. She ripped her hands free in misery, bringing them up to hide her face while being prodded for more details.

Karina stared at the two, lips still drastically parted as she took a moment to process all this. Pao Lin had lost her virginity before her and the girl wasn't even _legal_ yet. There were so many things wrong with that.

"Is it _good_?" Nathan inquired with a sultry emphasis that made Pao Lin look like she wanted to cry. "Wait, don't tell me you two left early so you could –"

Karina let herself fall lifelessly onto her side. She hit the floor with a dull thump and threw her previous statement about not caring if she was a virgin completely out the window.

She needed to get laid.

* * *

The elevator doors opened to reveal the familiar floor dedicated to First League activities. Barnaby followed Kotetsu's long strides towards the end of the hall to the training center, eyeing the plain white bag with muted interest. He couldn't help but wonder who exactly the recipient might be, especially with the given occasion.

"Yo!" Kotetsu burst out cheerfully, walking through the sliding doors like he owned the place, all eyes turning to the two of them. It was impossible to ignore the obnoxious entrance. "What's up, guys?"

"My, that's quite the look on you, Handsome," Nathan mentioned, completely ignoring Kotetsu to comment on the form-fitting shirt clinging to the muscles of Barnaby's upper-half.

"Hey, you two," Antonio said gruffly, concentration currently on the weighted bar he was in the process of lifting. He set it back down onto the bench press, lifting himself from under it and grabbing his towel. "Came to work out with us?"

"Nah, I'm just here to deliver something," Kotetsu mentioned with a smirk, holding up the mystery bag for everyone to see. "Is Blue Rose here?"

"Huh?" came Karina's voice from her half-assed workout on the butterfly machine. She released her grip, weights dropping with a loud clang before rubbing her sore arms. "What do you need, Tiger?"

"Ah, so you are alive!" he grinned, bypassing her completely baffled expression before making his way over for her convenience. He held the bag to her eye level with a smile, "This is for you."

Karina looked at it skeptically for a moment, questioning the motives of its origin more than the contents itself. "What is it?"

"Your birthday present," Kotetsu explained, giving it a shake for emphasis. "I figured it would be better to give it to you when you were sober."

"Thanks," she said, taking the bag reluctantly and finding it to be heavier than she'd expected. The blonde bit back a laugh as she plucked what looked like a badly wrapped box inside, tape and staples peppering the jagged seams. The blonde viciously clawed at the wrapping paper, ripped remnants still clinging to the stapled bits, before throwing open the top. Her nose wrinkled in offense at the contents.

"You got me alcohol?!" she all but yelled, grabbing the bottle of sake by the neck and waving it wildly in his face. Another bottle was the last thing she'd wanted to see.

"Yeah, I'll pour you some later," Kotetsu replied cheekily, ignoring her blatantly disgruntled look she was giving him. "But that's not all, keep looking!"

Karina set the bottle aside for now, no plans of taking him up on his offer before turning back to the box. She grabbed whatever had been lining the bottom, holding it up and letting the folds come undone.

A familiar, badly-drawn snake positioned over _Kaburagi Wine & Spirits_ was printed on what appeared to be a T-shirt. She stared at it for a good moment, the green serpent mocking her with its stick tongue. She could hear Barnaby's snort, obviously recognizing the design as well.

"Do you like it or do you like it?" Kotetsu asked, proud of his present and oblivious to her wide-eyed disbelief. The audacity –!

She opened her mouth to object when that pleased grin of his made an appearance and consequently caused the butterflies to flutter. She pursed her lips, eyeing the older man with an evaluative stare. Of course he'd never meant to offend her, Kotetsu was too selfless for that. In reality, it was just Kotetsu being Kotetsu with present that he had prepared with the kindness of his good-natured heart. He didn't deserve to be victim to her hangover-influenced temper when he'd only been trying his best, even if the present was a bit ridiculous.

"Yeah, it's great," she smiled giving him the most appreciative glance she could muster at the moment instead of biting back with the same response she'd given the towel. She folded the shirt with care as the veteran hero raised his fist in victory.

"I knew you would," Kotetsu said, nodding to himself triumphantly. "I mean, after you told me how much you liked the towel that one time –"

"H-hey, don't mention that!" Karina interrupted, violently lunging to clamp his mouth shut with her hands before anyone could hear.

"Come on, what was that for?" he inquired, dodging her flailing arms with experienced finesse. "Is that any way to thank me?"

The girl eventually gave up, plopping down onto the seat of the butterfly machine with a frustrated huff. She grabbed the sake bottle on the ground to examine it more closely and tilted her head - the frosted glass and intricate Kanji certainly made it pretty to look at, even if she wouldn't be drinking it any time soon.

"I honestly don't know what I'm going to do with this though," she said in dismay. "With this, the 12-pack from Antonio, _and_ the champagne Agnes sent me, I probably won't be able to fit anything else in my fridge –"

The shrill beeping of the first league bracelet suddenly cut her off, almost dropping the bottle in alarm. She set it down carefully into the box before an accident happened as Antonio pressed the button on his bracelet to take the call.

"Bonjour, Heroes," Agnes Joubert's digital projection greeted on cue. "We've got a stolen vehicle making its way through the Gold stage, current position is 2nd and 16thand heading towards the center of the city. You are to stop it and apprehend the hijacker, preferably before it reaches Justice Tower."

"Stolen vehicle?" Pao Lin repeated in confusion. "Why do they need us to stop a stolen car? Shouldn't the Second League be in charge of that?"

"Hey!" Tiger called from the background in offense.

"Because it's not a car," the producer-turned-CEO clarified with a motivated gleam in her eye. "It's a tank. It was stolen from one of Sternbild's elite who collects war memorabilia."

"Honestly, why do people even have these kinds of things," Nathan muttered with an annoyed pout. "They're just making our jobs more difficult."

"Are there any injuries?" Kotetsu butted in, pushing his way in front of the camera.

"Wild Tiger?" Agnes asked, visibly bewildered as to why they were there in the first place. Technically, the two were now required to use the Second League facilities on the floor below, but she supposed that didn't particularly matter at the moment, "No injuries, all property damage."

Kotetsu let out a relieved breath before pulling Barnaby into the camera to join him, "Did you want me and Bunny to go out as well? You know we can handle!"

The brief look of concern that graced Agnes' usually polished features did not go unnoticed, and Kotetsu wondered if Ben had reported his findings to her as well. That or Agnes had developed a soft spot for him, which he highly doubted considering all the property damage and ensuing lawsuits he had been responsible for over the years.

"That won't be necessary," she said, all-business attitude back into place. "The slow speed of the vehicle allowed us to send the evacuation warnings prior. We'll call you if we need your assistance."

"Acknowledged," Barnaby answered for the both of them before Kotetsu could argue. Kotetsu relented as Agnes to turn her attention back to the First League members.

"I want you all to stop the thing before the cost for repairs skyrockets. Who knows how much that would take away from our funding," she ordered. "I've already informed Sky High and Origami Cyclone. Now go and suit up, we're airing this live."

"Yes, ma'am," they said in unison before Agnes ended her transmission. The summoned heroes quickly grabbed their belongings before making for the door with the First to Arrive and Capture points on their minds.

"You should stop by more often, boys!" Nathan called with a frivolous wink before bounding down the hall with his long legs, Pao Lin and Antonio on his heels. Karina was a stride late, grabbing the white gift bag and holding it tight in her arms before erupting in a clumsy sprint. She hoped they would wrap this up quickly considering she hadn't fully shaken her hangover yet.

"Thanks for the present, Tiger!" she called behind her before she forgot. She gave Barnaby a glance as well, looking strangely as if she were internally torn about what she intended to say.

"And I'll get your jacket back to you later, Barnaby," she said quickly before the sliding door closed with a swish, leaving him no time to reply. Kotetsu looked to his partner, brow raised inquisitively at the musing blonde.

A beat passed.

"You _all_ bought her something?" Barnaby asked, a slight tinge of guilt tugging at his conscience.

"You didn't?" Kotetsu asked in surprise, making the guilt escalate instead of regress.

_You've made friends with us and you're really kind…_

Barnaby said nothing as her words wracked his brain while Kotetsu scratched his beard in thought.

"Well she has your jacket, doesn't she?" the older man said with a wistful grin before suggestively elbowing his partner in the ribs. "You stud."

"Shut up, old man."

* * *

True to her word, Karina whipped out her phone the next day to send Barnaby a text during her short vocal lesson break. She'd made sure to stuff the jacket in her bag that morning with the intentions of returning it to its owner that day. She fished his name out of her contacts, he sun was setting through the window of the hallway and bathing the floor beneath her feet in a bright orange.

_Can I drop off your jacket tonight after I get out of the studio?_ She typed hastily before hitting send. His reply came right before her vocal coach called her back in.

_That's fine. I've attached the address below._ It read in the same concise fashion as the note on the water bottle. The blonde pulled up the map as she walked, deeming it to be almost halfway between the record company and her apartment. Perfect.

"Karina!" her vocal teacher resonated in her annoying sing-song voice from around the corner before she could shoot him a confirmation. The blonde frowned before stuffing her phone back into her pocket. She supposed she'd just have to ring the bell when she got there.

_Hopefully today's session won't take forever,_ she inwardly droned, dragging her tired feet back into the soundproof room where her ridiculously animated instructor was waiting.

The session ended up lasting for three hours.

"I'll see you tomorrow at noon!" her graying instructor chimed like she had just woken up. Karina on the other hand was busy wondering if the carpet would be a comfortable place to sleep.

"Yeah," she breathed, slinging her bag around her shoulder and making for the exit as fast as she could. _How does this woman breathe?_

Karina stepped outside, bristling at the slight chill of the night. She made a note to stop wearing sleeveless blouses to the studio while hailing the first cab that came by.

"Where to?" the driver asked as she hopped into the back seat, pulling out her phone to recite the address, noting that it was almost 9:00.

"The Terrace on 17th and Grand," she replied, earning a nod from the driver as the car started in that direction.

Karina kept herself busy by admiring the evening lights as the cab rounded a corner onto Grand. From there, the numbers of the perpendicular streets increased at a fairly fast pace due to the lack of traffic, and they made it to the building in just under ten minutes. She paid the fare plus a small tip as thanks before he driver sped off, leaving her to her business.

Barnaby's condominium was in one of the nicest residential parts of the city, situated across the street from a park for appropriate family life and close to the center of Sternbild, making it easy to access from any of the business districts. She looked up to try and count the floors, but gave up after twelve. He probably lived on one of the uppermost floors anyway.

The blonde took a moment to retrieve the jacket from her bag, smoothing out the leather and draping it over her forearm as neatly as she could before proceeding inside. The sliding doors revealed the stylish lounge area of the ground floor, ornate chandelier shining on the marble tiles and equally white furniture rendering her snow-blind. There were no security or residents present, but Karina still felt underdressed in her jean shorts and boots.

Karina made her way to the elevator with its mirrored walls and just like she'd expected from a man of his stature, Barnaby lived at the top. She gazed at her reflection from the available angles, fixing her hair with her free hand while imagining what the interior of his suite looked like. When the elevator finished its ascent, she was surprised to find that there was only one door on the entire floor.

_Must be nice inside,_ she mused before walking up to the doorbell, which was more complex than she thought. She regarded the microphone and camera, wondering if they were already on before pressing what she hoped was the actual doorbell.

* * *

Barnaby had been sitting in front his computer when the doorbell rang, Karina's enlarged face suddenly obscuring his research on NEXT powers disappearing. He actually thought she wouldn't show up considering the hour, but his jacket in her bare arms had proved him wrong.

"Do they always keep you this late," he spoke, smirking in amusement as she visibly jumped on camera at the sound of his voice outside.

"Only sometimes," she admitted with a startled flush, looking annoyed through the camera. "Can you open the door now?"

"Just a moment," he said before putting his keyboard on the small table attached to his lone chair and heading towards the front. It slid open with a swish upon pressing the correct locks, revealing a meager looking Karina waiting for him.

"Here you go," she proclaimed, extending her arms and offering the jacket to him. "Thank you for letting me borrow it."

"You're welcome," he replied, pleased to find no unsightly stains on it. He did sense an unfamiliar, flowery smell lingering on it however.

"I was afraid that it might smell, so I used some perfume on it," Karina explained in embarrassment, noting the twitch of his nose. "I only sprayed the inside, so don't worry."

"It's fine," Barnaby reassured her. The feminine scent would fade away after a few wears, and the worst it would do was give Tiger another reason to poke fun at him.

"So this is your place, huh?" the girl asked, peering around his taller frame into the living room. Or what was supposed to be a living room, anyway. She'd recalled Pao Lin calling the place minimalist, but this was a bit much. The computer and chair were completely isolated, other ways of entry blocked by doors similar to the front.

Barnaby nodded, stepping aside so she could get a better look. But apparently, Karina had taken this as invitation inside instead, sidestepping his figure and taking a look around.

"How do you even live here?" She asked, staring at the massive screen that took up the entire wall. With only one chair, she suspected that he didn't have company often besides Kotetsu.

"My earnings," he answered smugly before accompanying her in the center of the room. She hovered around the chair for a moment before noticing the window, straying towards it as if she were in a trance.

"It's a nice view," she commented, taking a moment to appreciate the many colorful lights illuminating Sternbild's skyline. The girl tentatively reached her hand out only to have it relent, falling back to her side as if she were afraid it might shatter the picture.

Barnaby observed her in silence, wondering how long she intended to stay like that. Not that she wasn't welcome, but being alone with Karina was still a new concept to him. The only interaction he'd had with her prior to her drunken escapade a few days ago were merely for work, and even when escorting her home, she had been too tired to make conversation until the end of the night.

_You've changed, you know?_

Her fatigued voice echoed through his head like church bells. It was that night that had caused all this, he was sure of it now. Despite their long-standing professional relationship, that short conversation had made it personal, made them something between acquaintances and friends – a grey zone he wasn't quite sure how to break out of.

He placed his hand on the table, palm coming in contact with this month's issue of Gentlemen's Quarterly. The issue of his lack of a birthday present for her came to mind once more, and he decided to try using her own tactic on her while she was conveniently here to put his mind at ease.

"Is there anything in this magazine that you would be particularly interested in?" Barnaby asked robotically, causing her to spin around in confusion. She blinked at the cover, a scantily clad female model donned on the cover splayed across a picnic blanket in celebration of summer.

"Excuse me?" she asked, as hesitant to touch the simple magazine as she was with Tiger's present, even if it had been her own tactic to begin with.

"Is there anything in here that you would like?" he reiterated in simpler terms. He followed her gaze to the cover, wondering if it had anything to do with her reluctance. "They're not all like that."

"No, it's not that but just…Why?" she inquired, taking it and scraping the pages with the pad of her thumb.

"For your birthday, I mean," he admitted carefully, turning a bit shy himself. It was widely known that Barnaby wasn't the most sentimental of people, but her blasted drunken honesty had rendered his conscience guilty for not accomplishing such a simple gesture.

"What?" Karina said in surprise, clutching the magazine to her chest and backing up a step. "It's okay, Barnaby. I mean, you drove me home. That's good enough for me."

"That was more of a favor," he corrected her, intimidating stare exerting pressure on her resolve. The difference in his general behavior had left her a bit apprehensive. It wasn't like him to be so adamant about these kinds of matters.

"It's not that big of a deal," she tried to convince him, tightening her grip on the reading material like it was some sort of shield. "I can't think of anything that I immediately want anyway, don't worry about it."

"Please," he stated in a gentler tone than his previous efforts as if he'd sensed her apprehension. She thought about what possible reasons he could have to feel guilty about not getting her anything. With it being Barnaby though, he probably wouldn't let her leave without agreeing to it. "I insist."

"I suppose I could try then," she finally muttered in compliance, using the three tiers of steps surrounding the room as a makeshift seat with the magazine in her lap. Barnaby took the liberty of leaning on his chair rather than sitting on it, placing his jacket on the seat in the meantime. He adjusted his frames, watching her quietly from his perch.

She went through a third of the magazine with no interest. It didn't help that the products and advertisements were geared towards men either, but a particular fragrance ad caught her eye for all the wrong reasons. An embracing couple whose limbs were conveniently placed for censorship were splayed on their bed behind the bottle, causing her to emit a sigh. Her thoughts strayed to the day before, remembering that she was still a lonesome virgin who hadn't even kissed a boy, much less gone on a date.

Then again, Barnaby was suffering from the same problem.

"Was what Kotetsu said true?" she asked before her common sense could tell her otherwise, stopping her leisurely flipping to gauge his reaction. "At the bar, I mean."

His eyes registered stoic discernment, and she suddenly hoped he hadn't taken it offensively. It was a pretty personal question, after all, and he hadn't looked two pleased when Kotetsu put him on blast.

"Relationships and intimacy were never much concern to me," Barnaby replied in vague confirmation. "The majority of my youth and early adulthood was focused on…other matters.

_His parents,_ Karina told herself, suddenly wishing she hadn't said anything at all. Unlike her who simply didn't have the time for a relationship, Barnaby had spent his entire life prior to becoming a hero looking for answers concerning the murder of his entire family. He'd been forcefully deprived of the ordinary life and upbringing that most people took for granted.

"Do you find it strange?" he asked her in return, breaking her train of thought and quietly alluding to her own embarrassing exclamation from that night.

"Not at all," Karina said quickly, not wanting to offend him. Her own internal angst made it such a big deal for her, but his situation was different. It made sense though – had she been in his shoes, she probably wouldn't have paid much attention to the opposite sex either.

"It's more surprising than strange," she continued, shifting away from that topic and instead focusing on her first impression of him. Being the only hero to reveal his face, he had managed to gain incredible popularity with the ladies throughout his career. "When you first made your debut, all the women of Sternbild wanted you. I wouldn't be surprised if more than half of them still do."

"I'm not interested in the superficial," Barnaby informed her, and she could have sworn she caught him smirking. Her lips slightly parted in wonder. Maybe he wasn't as asexual as she thought. She turned back to the magazine where the risqué cologne ad beckoned her, the possible fun of provoking him about the subject suddenly coming to mind.

"I want this," she declared, folding the magazine at its spine in order to emphasize the advertisement page. She held it out with confidence as he bent forward for a clearer look.

Barnaby looked at her in bewilderment, "Men's cologne?"

"No, not that!" Karina exclaimed in disbelief, wondering if he was actually unaware or if he was messing with her. Regardless, his sudden change in attitude had left her a bit frazzled. That combined with her forever cemented chastity and the countless hours in the studio had left her with a few mental bolts loose.

"_That,_" she emphasized, pointing to the scene in the background with a slender finger.

Barnaby remained infuriatingly silent, not a hint of emotion in his face.

"You know what, never mind," she deadpanned, propping the magazine up on her thighs to block everything below the bridge of her nose and forcefully flipping the page. Kotetsu's denseness must have rubbed off on him.

"You want sex for your birthday?" he inquired in a less eloquent manner than she would have ever imagined from him. She half debated on throwing the magazine at his face just because of the way he said it, the smug bastard.

"Wha – _No,_" Karina replied with control unlike the flurry of explicit thoughts wracking her brain. She could feel the heat slowly making its way to her cheeks. She was the sad victim of her own morbid sense of humor. "It was a joke, Barnaby, a joke," she lamented, resolved to never touch on sexual innuendos in his presence ever again.

"Are you sure?" he asked, and now she was positive that Kotetsu had something to do with his partner's sudden audacity.

"Positive," she said rather pointedly, trying to focus on the magazine to quell her exasperation. "It was the part of me that's tired of being alone talking."

Barnaby was looking at her like she were partly insane, and maybe she was considering that the tired-of-being-alone part of her was refusing to shut up.

"Well now that I think about it, it wouldn't be such a bad gift to get from the right person," Karina ranted, flipping through the pages like a hurricane, "But I doubt I'm going to be meeting him any time soon and I'm already twenty." The number of ridiculously attractive men in underwear ads wasn't helping the abruptly warm temperature of the room. Neither was the men's health section that came right after.

"And it's annoying how all my friends are getting some and talking about how good it is. I can get myself off just fine, but according to them, it's not even _close_ to the feeling of a good lay," she continued, unleashing all of her frustrations from the past few days onto the unwilling recipient that was Barnaby Brooks Jr. of all people. Not that she cared at this point – She'd been love overdue for a good vent with someone who understood her pain, and a fellow virgin was hard to come by these days. "Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to give my first time to someone I knew well enough, as long as he wasn't weird about it. It's hard to not be curious about it, anyway, so why not?"

"Karina –" he tried to no avail, startled about the content leaving her mouth.

"I mean, are there any other virgins in the universe besides us?!" Karina practically shouted, only catching herself when she noticed the worried look Barnaby was giving her. Her mouth snapped shut, face turning a brilliant shade of crimson. She couldn't even bring herself to apologize with the sheer amount of embarrassment she had just caused herself. She suddenly wished she had Albert Maverick's powers, even if he had been a gross old toad.

But another look in Barnaby's direction struck her with an epiphany rather than remorse. Yes, she had practically spewed out all her sexual frustrations in a span of five minutes, but he was in the same boat. The phrase "beggars can't be chooser's" suddenly came to mind, but this was Barnaby – she wouldn't be settling for less at all. He was decidedly attractive for a man going on twenty-eight, even with his Farrah Fawcett hairstyle that would probably make him prettier than her in drag. But more importantly, he had shown that he could in fact be a nice guy with the dropping her off and feeling bad for not getting her a present thing. He was the first person to ever do that for her, even if it had only been a favor.

"Say," she began, setting the magazine down on the floor and pushing off from the small set of steps to stand. She approached him slowly, purpose in her stride and a sway in her hips. "What if I were serious?"

Now it was Barnaby's turn to back away, looking as timid as his dreaded nickname's sake. But one step backwards and he was blocked by the chair against his back, "I'm not–"

"Let's face it, Barnaby, we're not getting any younger," she cut him off, mustering all of her courage to proceed. Her normal self would never be so forward or brash, especially with a subject like this, but there was a certain fire in her veins that prevented her from restraining herself. She'd wanted this, and a golden opportunity was right in front of her. "We won't have to wonder anymore, which would benefit the both of us, don't you think? That and well…"

"I trust you," she said after a moment of hesitation, because even this Karina didn't give compliments lightly, especially to someone as foreign to her as Barnaby was. But she supposed that had been before. They had a connection now. "We're friends, maybe not good ones, but friends nonetheless. And I don't think I'd regret giving my first time to someone like you," she confessed, a modest flush on her cheeks.

Barnaby was visibly stunned now, glasses threatening to fall off the bridge of his nose. She was almost directly in front of him now, cornering him like some kind of hunter as his back bent against the chair. He never thought her simple joke would escalate so quickly. She had clearly been upset at her standing virginity at the bar, but for her to ask him outright? That kind of daring was unlike her.

"I can't be Kotetsu," he told her quietly, just to make sure she knew what she would be getting herself into if he consented. To have her wake up the next morning full of regret wouldn't bode well for either of them, and he was still confused about their current standing as it was. But to his astonishment, a temper began to flare in her large brown eyes.

"I don't want Kotetsu anymore! How many times do I have to say it?" Karina wailed in frustration, indicating that the others had inquired about that subject recently as well. "I came to terms with that years ago," she informed him briskly, taking another step forward and completely invading his sense of personal space. Her full lips were in a pout, head was tilted upward to make up for the height difference and effectively intimidating him from below.

"I'm asking you because I want to, Barnaby," she said honestly, jabbing her finger into the dip of his collarbone. His breath hitched as her nail dragged across his chest, stopping right above his heart. "Now what do you say?" she asked, applying some pressure for good measure as she rode the high of her adrenaline.

Barnaby on the other hand, was completely floored. Though he was capable of being just as curious about the matter as Karina was, he had never expected someone to offer a solution like this. He swallowed, unable to think reasonably between the anticipating female in front of him and the heavy drumming in his ears.

"I would ask," he began hesitantly as she observed him. "If I should take you out to dinner first."

She unsuccessfully bit back a smile and Barnaby wondered when she'd gotten so charming.

"I'll take that as a promise."

* * *

I wanted to get this up sooner, I really did, but the last part itself took me about three rewrites and I still can't say that I'm happy with it. But I suppose the hardest part is over. Expect mature content beginning in the next chapter, which I'll try to get up soon. Spare a review in the meantime?


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